


Neiled in the Heart

by Fire_Cooking



Category: OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes
Genre: Awkwardness, Bad Puns, Crushes, M/M, a rare Ernesto fic!, hero and villian battle, note cards, this was supossed to be crack and then i started to ship it for real
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-10
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-11-28 17:40:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20970458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fire_Cooking/pseuds/Fire_Cooking
Summary: The box bots are attacking the Plaza again when Ernesto rolls into Neil, the boring wanna be comic book hero!He falls hard, but what can he do about this sudden rush of feels? And what does Lord Boxman have to say about it?





	Neiled in the Heart

**Author's Note:**

> I really tried to make this not a ship, and now I'm in heck

“Hey!” 

“Get it together big bro!” Shannon hissed.

“I'm trying!” Ernesto called back.

“Well how about we go bowling, brother!” Raymond called. Ernesto sighed.

“Fine.” Ernesto retracted his limbs and head. Raymond picked him up and with a swing careened Ernesto towards the Bodega kids.

The group jumped away from Ernesto laughing.

“Is that all you got!”

“Yeah, that was an absolute empty frame!”

“You better spare us of another bad attempt at hitting us!”

The three laughed as Raymond and Shannon both huffed. Ernesto hit the wall of the bodega, crumbling it but getting stuck under the rubble from being able to zoom back over for a second swing at the kids. He extended his limbs and head. There was a Hero in the store, starring at him.

Ernesto looked at him for a minute.

The hero cradled a boy in his arms, and looked like he was going to scream.

The look of terror, the hold of protection, the robotic arm glimmering in the dust, the trim cape, the slick hair and the-

Ernesto felt himself flush up. He started to jitter. There wasn't paper work for this.

Ernesto pulled his tie loose and slammed a fist into his reboot button.

“Oh come on!” Shannon called, seeing the explosion.

“That wasn't even enough to hurt you!” Raymond echoed.

~~~~hi

Ernesto scrambled off the conveyor belt. He looked around. The play room was empty. He buried his face in his hands as his hull heated up.

He yelled in frustration.

He closed his eye, the face of the hero burned into his vision.

Those eyes, that hair, the little shake in his knees, how he protected that little guy in his arms.

“Hey!” Shannon yelled as she jumped off the conveyor.

“What was that brother? Did you have a defect?” Raymond added, jumping off after her.

“Yes.” Ernesto pulled his tie loose and slammed his reboot button again.

He walked off the conveyor.

He was better.

He was almost as good as that hero was goo lo-

He undid his tie.

He stepped off the conveyor belt.

“Ernesto, are you okay?” Raymond asked.

Raymond had black hair, just like-

Ernesto stepped off the conveyor belt.

“Ernesto are you running an error?” Shannon asked.

“No.” Ernesto sighed, his mind was finally clear.

As clear as the look of shock on the hero's face-

Ernesto stepped off the conveyor belt.

“Yes.”

Ernesto stepped off the conveyor-

“ERNESTO WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON! YOU AREN'T CHEAP!”

The three bots looked at the PA.

Ernesto went to undo his tie.

“ERNESTO YOU STOP THAT! GET DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!” 

“Yes Father!” Ernesto picked himself up and started to jog to his fathers office.

His wind wandered and stuck.

It stuck hard.

Was he seeing glitter? Was he seeing petals? Was that two glasses of apple and a sunset?

He felt himself heating up again. He felt his knees start to loosen.

He slammed the doors to Boxman's office open.

“Father I am broken! Please reset me!”

Boxman looked at Ernesto silently, taking his eyes off the video call he was on.

“Could you knock?” Boxman huffed. “I at least expected you to know about my 2-”

“FATHER I AM MALFUNCTIONING!”

“Boxman tell your kid to scram, you need to get my order done before Friday-”

“Yeah yeah it'll get done, Billiam.” Boxman shut off the call. He stood from his desk.

“Father-”

“Ernesto calm down, what's the error code?” 

Ernesto chewed on that for a second.

“001.”

“No bugs? No errors? No assembly slips?” Boxman walked to Ernesto, he put a hand on Ernesto. He pulled it away and shook it. “Dear cob, you are hotter than a tin roof on a sunny day.”

“My hive mind is sending a error please reset me!”

Boxman shook his head.

“Tell me about the error, maybe it's slipping through.”

“Well,” Ernesto thought for a second. “I saw a hero today, and now there image is implanted. They keep appearing to me. Maybe it's a visual glitch.” 

Boxman nodded. “Any other errors?”

“Colours have been glitching into my vision along with particles, eye bulb malfunctioning I assume?” Ernesto said, he started to tap his fingers together.

Boxman looked at him quietly.

“What's actually going on, Ernesto?” Boxman asked.

Ernesto looked around and pushed Boxman in the office. He closed the door.

“Father please rest me.” Ernesto said firmly.

“Ernesto-”

“I can't get him off my mind, he's got such a cute hair style and a robotic arm and he's so protective and caring and he's nervous too!” Ernesto grabbed Boxman's shirt and shook him.

Boxman laughed.

“You have a special someone?” Boxman raised an eye brow and smiled. “What's his name?”

“I don't know! And he's terrible!” Ernesto called.

“Who's this villain?” Boxman asked, still chuckling.

“That's the problem!” Ernesto yelled.

Boxman started cackling.

“You poor bot, hots for a hero.”

“Don't say it like that dad I need him off my mind!”

Boxman kept cackling, Ernesto stopped his shaking of Boxman.

“Ernesto, when I was just adult years old, I had a similar problem.” Boxman sighed, he patted Ernesto's arm. “Thank you for telling me and not just running off.”

“Well I'm not Shannon.” Ernesto puffed, he rolled his eye. He let go of Boxman.

“Now, let's get to the bottom of your problem. Fancy hair you say? How fancy?” Boxman smirked at the Ernesto starting to glow red.

“Father,” Ernesto coughed. “He just looked so, cute, protective, responsible, and nervous. He had it all for that second.”

“A seconds all it takes, that's how I got myself tangled up with only kidnapping Laserblast.” Boxman said, he put a hand on his cheek. “Shame he had to die, he was good to look at.”

Ernesto coughed. “Father, I just want this gone.”

“That's not how it works.” Boxman crossed his arms and huffed.

“I'm a robot, you can program me to do anything, like forget his cu- stupid face.” Ernesto hissed.

“Well, Ernesto, if you remember your clauses-”

“No Boxmore Robot is able to or allowed to create corruptions in stored memory, tamper with the hive mind, or selectively change code.” Ernesto sighed. “But you can!” Ernesto flurried up.

“But, I wont. Besides it takes to much work to code you an entire new orientation. You can just keep the one that happened because of your base AI settings.” Boxman said, he waved a hand casually at Ernesto. Ernesto face palmed.

“Well what am I supposed to do then?” Ernesto squawked.

“You want to kid nap him?”

“I mean it would be fun, and I could- What no!” Ernesto huffed.

Boxman elbowed Ernesto and smirked at him.

“Nothing like tying up your crush and dangling them over a death trap.”

“I don't even know his name! How am I supposed to kid nap him!” Ernesto cross his arms.

“Does Jethro still collect POW cards?”

“Well, yes, but-”

“Then let's find him!” Boxman grabbed Ernesto's hand and pulled him out of the office.

“Father-”

“Nonsense this is important.”

Ernesto sighed as he was pulled down the hallway. The two ran into Venomous.

“Where are you two hurrying off too?” He asked, Boxman Smirked and laughed.

“Important kidnapping plans, nothing you would know about.” Boxman called.

“And why would I not know about kid napping?” Venomous smirked back and raised an eyebrow.

“Father has a bad idea about how to help me with something.” Ernesto sighed.

“Ohhh.” Venomous held back a laughed. “I see. You have someone in your sights for a good fight.” 

“N-No!” Ernesto called.

“He's being silly, obviously he has a someone in his sights.” Boxman started to pull Ernesto away.

“Well, keep me posted, I'll be sure to leave the two alone when Ernesto nabs them.” Venomous was now chuckling as he continued walking.

Ernesto was bright red. Boxman continued pulling his down the hall.

~~~~hi

“This one?” Boxman help up a card.

“Father that's a member of the cactus crew.” Ernesto sighed.

“Look I have like to cards left in my pile, and one's not even who you're looking for and I know it.” Boxman held up another card.

“Dad that's Radicles.” Ernesto huffed.

“I was seeing if maybe he was three for three on my kids.” Boxman pulled out a new card. “I know this isn't it.”

Ernesto felt his face heat up, his insides flip, his knees loosen-

“Oh you poor thing, you have it bad for a dweeb.” Boxman looked at the card and shook his head. “His name is Neil, he's a level 4. Says here he has heat breath, laser vision, and flying.”

Ernesto stared at the card. He felt himself tumbling into the abyss. 

Boxman handed Ernesto the card. “I'm sure Jethro won't mind you borrowing it.”

“He's-” Ernesto looked at the card, he could feel himself slipping further. “How do I kidnap people?”

Boxman laughed. “First you have to stalk and stake out your victim. Which you should have no problem doing.” Boxman then thought. “I think I can show you how to make the catch.”

Boxman stood and laughed harder. “I need a frying pan, two pies, and some rope.”

~~~~hi

Venomous hummed as he walked. He had his hands in his pockets and thinking about his escapades planned for the next plaza attack-

Venomous stepped out of the way of a pie being hurtled at him.

There was a loud metallic crack and he was out.

“And that's how you cleanly knock out your prey.” Boxman said firmly.

Ernesto nodded from his in depth notes. “What if you don't get them with the first pie?”

“That's why you have a second pie.” Boxman peeped. “It also serves as a snack. Now do you know how to make a surgeons knot.”

“Yes.” 

“Good, so when you tie him up, you should grab hold on one end, and then wrap him like so.” Boxman quickly sat Venomous up and leaned him against a wall. Boxman wrapped him up.

Ernesto nodded from his notes.

“Now, you tie a surgeons knot, and wah-la.” Boxman looked at Ernesto.

“So, it's pretty simple.” Ernesto put his notes away. “A simple distraction and head trauma will get him out cold and then you tie him up.” Ernesto thought for a moment. “Won't the professor be angry at you when he wakes up.”

Boxman shrugged. “He'll understand why I did it.”

“Are you sure about that?” Ernesto pressed his hands together and pointed at Boxman.

“What do you know about relationships any ways!” Boxman put his hands on his hips.

“I'm your marriage counselor.” Ernesto said flatly.

“We aren't even married yet!” Boxman huffed.

Ernesto shook his head. “Well, now I have to go stalk... Neil....”

“Cob, you have it bad.” Boxman said as Ernesto melted into a day dreaming pose and went bright red.

Suddenly Venomous started to come too.

“Mmm, wha-” Venomous blinked a few times. “BOXMAN!”

“I forgot, you need a gag too. If it's a public place.” Boxman said quickly. Ernesto pulled his notes back out.

“BOXMAN WHAT IS GOING ON!”

“Come on, let's get you an ice pack.” Boxman hefted Venomous into his arms, still tied up. “Go an get em, Ernesto,” Boxman gave Ernesto a thumbs up and walked off, winking.

Venomous yelled as Boxman dragged him off.

Ernesto pulled out a checklist, he added gag to it and physicked himself up. He crossed that off his list and went to gather what he'd need.

~~~~hi

Ernesto hid in some bushes. He watched quietly.

He shook his head as he stared at his target. The world was in shades of pink, dusted with glitter and petals as he stared at him.

There was no one around but that kid. He was laughing and playing with the kid with a smile on his face.

“Neil, Neil! Can I get an ice cream!” The kid called.

“Alright Combo, pick me up one too!” Neil winked at the kid and passed them some money. The kid cheered and ran off. Ernesto had the opportunity. Ernesto chucked a stapler.

Neil looked where it had landed. Ernesto jumped up and sprinted over, knocking Neil over the head with ease. Neil fell and Ernesto quickly tied him up, throwing him over his shoulder.

Ernesto laughed brightly. He did it, the world was right and he had his prize!

Ernesto started running back to Boxmore when he heard a cry behind him. He thought nothing of it.

~~~~hi

Ernesto paced, he kept glancing at Neil. He felt his CPU run hot every time he did. It had been half an hour since he knocked him out. 

Where humans supposed to be out that long?

Venomous got up in minutes, and he was kind of a human, so maybe this was just how real humans reacted.

“What happened?” A voice said.

It was such a smooth, soft voice, it was dazed, it left Ernesto weak.

“You!” Ernesto posed, Neil looked up at him. Ernesto felt himself go red. He never got the rest of the lesson. “Uh, do you want an ice pack?”

“A box bot!” Neil started freaking out. He pulled at his ties and tried to slip free. “Where am I? Where is Combo! You better not have laid a finger on him!”

Ernesto felt himself go hotter and his fans kick into double speed. He didn't know what to do. “Uh, no I just nabbed you.”

“Is this for an evil plan? What do you need me for?”

Ernesto felt his ram start to compile into several dump files. This was not going according to the lesson. Was the lesson even finished? He pulled out his notes and start flipping through them.

Header to the first page. Lesson one.

There were more lessons.

He put his free hand to his forehead and pushed his hat back a bit.

“Uh....” Ernesto looked at Neil, he felt himself get hotter as he stared at the man tied to the chair. His hair was just a but dishevelled, he looked like he was angry, he was still floating in a sea of pink. “I- uhm... I kid napped you so that, uh....”

“This is ridiculous, did you just kidnap me for no reason?” Neil sighed.

“No!?” Ernesto buried himself in his notes for a second, he looked back up and saw Neil flying above the chair.

The ropes had been cut apart by something hot. Laser vision. Right.

“Well then, you're gonna have to have a pretty good explanation for why!” Neil called.

“I uh.” Ernesto put his notes away and tapped his fingers together. “I-”

Neil zoomed over and went to punch through Ernesto with his robot arm, Ernesto blocked the arm. It fell off.

Ernesto yelled nervously. Neil looked down at his arm.

“Oh.”

“I'm sorry I didn't mean to take your arm off!” Ernesto gasped out, stumbling through his words. He picked up Neil's arm.

“Oh, uh, that happens.” Neil said quietly as Ernesto handed his arm back. He clunked it back on.

“So, uh, my plan, yes right!” Ernesto called, he shifted posture. “I kid napped you for, stopping you from, stopping- uh-”

“You really didn't have a reason, huh.” Neil said, landing.

Ernesto felt himself start to spit out syllables. He started to shake. He pulled out a note card.

“Hello... I am... E-Ernesto.”

Neil looked at him unamused.

“This is a waste of time.” Neil shook his head and flew to the ceiling, he looked back at Ernesto.

Ernesto felt him self hit critical heat In his CPU. Neil blasted a hole in the ceiling and flew out.

He was strong too-

Ernesto stepped of the conveyor belt.

He started screaming and pacing.

“Uh, Ernesto?” Raymond called from where the bots where playing a board game.

“What!” Ernesto snapped.

“Hey, Ernesto calm down! What's the matter?” Darrell asked, standing up.

“Nothing is wrong, I uh, I have to talk to Father-”

“Dude, obviously something has to be wrong, you've been acting weird today, and you've rebooted like, 7 times now.” Shannon called.

“Mikayla.”

“I am fine, will all of you back off!” Ernesto huffed, he crossed his arms and looked away from his siblings.

“I am Jeth-”

“Shut up, Jethro!” Ernesto yelled. 

“Ooo, you do have a crush, whose it on!” Shannon smirked.

“Yes, do tell, who is the handsome villain after your heart!” Raymond echoed.

“I don't have a crush on anyone!” Ernesto called, he grabbed his hat and tried to pull it down over his face.

“That's gross!” Darrell called.

“Would you bots keep it down I'm trying to play videos game in my room!” Fink yelled, walking in.

“Ernesto has a crush!” Raymond and Shannon called.

“I do not!” Ernesto yelled, he stormed out.

He marched himself through the halls of Boxmore. He had a bone to pick with his father.

He slammed open the doors to the the kitchen and saw Venomous still tied up, and still angry, as Boxman was making them lunch.

“How did your stalking go?”

“We have a problem.”

“Aww, is he taken-”

“YOU DIDN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO AFTER YOU KIDNAP HIM!”

“You-” Boxman cleared his throat. “YOU ALREADY KIDNAPPED HIM!?” Boxman threw his sandwich materials. “Where is he? Is he still knocked out? Are you able to move him? Is he tied to a chair? Is-”

“HE ALREADY ESCAPED BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!”

“How did he escape from the ropes!?”

“He used his laser vision!”

“Laserblast never did that.” Boxman pondered. He looked at Ernesto. “Well, did you make a good first impression?”

“I followed my notes and my note cards and I helped him put his arm back on when I tore it off!” Ernesto said proudly.

“You WHAT-” Boxman screamed. He coughed. “You are so hopeless! You pulled out your notes!? Your note cards!? You tore off his arm!?” 

“I put it back!”

“You tore off his arm!”

“What is this even about!” Venomous cut in.

Ernesto yelled and walked out of the room.

“He has a crush on a hero, AND HE BLEW HIS CHANCE!” Boxman yelled after the storming Ernesto. 

Ernesto tried to chase the vision of Neil looking back at him out of his mind as he toiled on how badly he must have screwed up if Boxman was telling him he did.

How could he have been so over eager to not even look over his notes and remember more lessons had to be had before he could get to actually kidnapping Neil.

This was starting to be a major problem.

How could he just let the face of a dumb hero make him forget the basics of his programming, to be careful and always ready the fine print twice before doing anything. How could the voice of the dumb hero make him so nervous that he couldn't even google an evil plan and beeswax it?

Boxman was right, he had it bad. Maybe he should just move to a third world country and live on a mountain for all eternity. He could be a sage advise giver who was shrouded in mystery and he could just never see anyone he knew again so he wouldn't have to live with his embarrassment.

Yes he'd buy the plane tickets and be on his way in under a day.

He stepped into the office. He looked around. It was quiet, where was the typing? Where was the calls? Where was the idle chatter?

Oh no.

He had it bad.

He walked right back out of the office. 

He had to deal with this soon. He could just go and blow up his hive mind and that would fix it. That wasn't corrupting or changing code. That was just destroying it completely.

“Ernesto.”

Ernesto turned and looked at Venomous, who was finally untied.

“Yes Professor?”

“Boxman told me about your little problem.” Venomous smiled at Ernesto. “I don't have any personal experiences on the matter, but all I can say is don't try so hard. And probably don't try and kidnap him again until you know a little more about threatening heroes.”

“I'll keep that in mind. I'm already breaking my code I might as well go against my programmed personality too.” Ernesto said with a tiredness.

“Just don't let it consume you.” Venomous patted Ernesto's shoulder and kept walking.

Ernesto watched him walk off.

If Boxman could get him, there must be something that Boxman could teach him.

Ernesto looked at his internal clock, yes Boxman should be in his office, and nothing scheduled. Lovely.

Ernesto walked himself to the office, and slammed open the door.

“Father! I need your assistance!”

Boxman looked up from his mug and the blueprint in his hands.

“What, you want to go fail again?”

Ernesto marched over and slammed his hands on the desk.

“You had to have some secret, some trick or something, to get the Professor. Something tells me that may work for me as well.”

Boxman started to laugh. “If you think I know how I caught that man you are a complete fool.” 

“You had to do something! Say something! There has to be a definable way that you can get a partner that is completely different to you and not also change yourself all that much.”

Boxman put his tea down.

“Ernesto, these things just don't happen because you try so hard that you bring it down to equations. Honestly I don't know what 'made' Venomous and I fall in love, you just have to work at your interactions. And maybe stalk him a lot more.”

“Yeah I figured that one out.” Ernesto sighed, “But seriously what did you do?”

“Uh-” Boxman thought for a minute. “I was me and I built a pie gun.” 

Ernesto rubbed his face with his hands. “That's not going to work.”

“Well then go and figure out what will!” Boxman huffed. “And when you are done only stalking him, we can work on petty schemes to get his attention.”

~~~~hi

Ernesto had learned three things.

Lower portions of his legs where also robotic. He didn't know how to use his utility belt. And he really did love Combo Breaker [learning the heroes sidekicks full name was technically number four].

Ernesto watched as Neil sat down a bench.

Neil's hair was glimmering in the sun and his cape was fluttering lightly in the wind. He sat there idly. The world was in slow motion- wait no he was just, sitting that still. 

He was perfect, and his- he was really just sitting there?

Ernesto shook his head and wrote in his notes. He must be powering up.

He did looked perfect sitting there. So that was a bonus of his power up sequence.

He moved- he must be-

“Hello Drupe.” Neil said with a smile.

“Uh, hi.” She kept walking.

“A lovely day today isn't it?” Neil added.

“What are you even doing, just sitting there until Combo gets off school?” Drupe snarked.

“Yes.” Neil smiled at her.

“Cob you are the most boring man that has ever lived.” She walked away.

“Good bye!” Neil called after her. He went back to sitting there still and quiet.

He was so nice. And polite. Ernesto was doodling hearts in his notes as he stared at Neil.

Ernesto lost track of time as he watched Neil. It felt like hours had passed, people coming and going around the man as he politely said hello and good bye to each.

Ernesto checked his internal clock. It had been four hours.

It was almost as fun as when he had to go through the receipts for bolts after that miss order. He sighed, this might be more fun.

~~~~hi

Ernesto walked quietly through the hall way. Suddenly Boxman jumped out of a door way.

“You are two hours late for dinner young man!”

“Father!” Ernesto thought he was going to explode from the surprise. His cooling fans kicked into high gear as he calmed down. “I was out on a mission.”

“Likely story, Ernesto, I don't remember sending you out on all these 'missions' that you keep missing dinner for.” Boxman called.

“You did, three weeks ago, remember?” Ernesto coughed.

“I don't remember.” Boxman huffed. “What are these missions again?”

“You know, the reconnaissance missions.” Ernesto said, trying to keep his voice down.

“For what?”

“You know....” Ernesto started to heat up and turn red.

“I don't know, Ernesto.” Boxman crossed his arms.

“You know, with-....” Ernesto coughed the last word under his breath.

“With what?” 

Ernesto looked at Boxman, he sighed. “I was stalking Neil again.”

“We have a name we have a name!” Shannon yelled, falling out of a room.

“Find his POW card!” Darrell echoed.

“Get his social media name!” Raymond echoed. The three ran off into the distance. Ernesto thought he was going to explode as Boxman laughed.

“Did they put you up to that?!” Ernesto yelled, heating up more.

“No, no, of course not.” Boxman huffed, he put a hand on his hip and gestured with the other. “I honestly didn't think you'd still be stalking him this far out. Do you even like him any more?”

“I've filled three notebooks with notes on him! Yes I still like him.” Ernesto hissed back.

“Well, then I guess it's time for lesson two.” Boxman started walking down the hall. “Evil plans and how to execute them!”

Ernesto felt himself calm down a smidgen. He followed Boxman.

“What do you have in mind?” Ernesto asked.

“Well, what do you have in mind?” Boxman bounced back.

“Well, uh-”

“You've been taken notes on him for weeks. What are his weaknesses, what does he love, what can you threaten to distract him?” Boxman asked.

Ernesto pulled out his notes and flipped through them quickly.

“He likes sitting on a bench.” Ernesto said. “He also loves his side kick and saying hello to people.”

“Is that it?” Boxman asked, he gave Ernesto a look.

“He sits on his bench every day from 12 to 4 after his college classes and waits for Combo, his side kick, to get off school. He says hello to every single person who passes by.”

“Every day?”

“Every day.”

“Wow, he's almost as boring as you.”

Ernesto shot Boxman a glare. “You programmed me.”

“I programmed a child hive mind that grew up into a boring calculator. I never made the boring calculator.” Boxman walked into his office. Ernesto was still following him. “So, what's the big plan for a attack? You have to have something cooked up, we can always adapt it to get this hero.”

“Well, before this I was working on a large scale attack of reporting false tax fraud to the IRS so that they over load there systems and collapse from the inside out and we can avoid our taxes for a quarter do to the systems being shut down from over load.” Ernesto peeped.

“Does he protect the IRS?”

“No.”

“Then it's worthless.” Boxman sat in his chair. He pressed his fingers together and then pointed at Ernesto. “You need to threaten something close to home for him and make it powerful. Get his emotional and then strike. He'll be putty in your hands then.” 

“Well I could always attack his college and-”

“What kid even likes school?”

“He happens to love Latin.” Ernesto huffed, pointing at something in his notes.

“That's lame.” Boxman spun in his chair and looked at the plaza. “You say he always sits on a bench from 12 to 4.”

“Everyday.”

“The same bench?”

“Yes.”

“Well then it's simple. You have to battle him and take him prisoner.” Boxman said bluntly.

“Oh because that worked out so well.”

“And then, and then you threaten his school.” 

Ernesto gulped. It was a plan.

~~~~hi

Ernesto sat in his regular bush, watching and waiting for a perfect time to strike, with no one around. Today had been extra busy at the plaza. He looked around, no one but Neil.

He checked his clock. 5 minutes before Combo would arrive.

He jumped out of the bush.

“NEIL-”

“Hello, Ernesto.” Neil said casually.

“Oh-, um hi Neil.” Ernesto stopped his dash towards Neil to wave. He shook his head and started dashing again. “NEIL! This is you final signature on your stack of paper work! You are going into debt at the hands of me!” Ernesto swung at Neil, who dashed out of the way.

“Nice word play, but you can't get me with just words!” Neil said, he sot a laser at Ernesto, who rolled out of the way.

Ernesto pulled out a stapler and started firing staples at Neil, who weaved around the small projectiles as he flew towards Ernesto. He opened his mouth and hissed a breath at Ernesto as he passed by. Ernesto barely got out of the hot blast, another near hit and he would probably start to loose some structural integrity.

Ernesto pulled out a page.

“Those are some hot moves, but nothing is hotter than copy's right out of the machine!” Ernesto through the page and it started to multiply, Neil was smacked by several pages.

“Ugh, paper cuts.” Neil cried out. He fell slightly from where he was floating.

Ernesto took the opportunity to jump up and retract his limbs and launch himself at Neil, who caught him and threw him back at the ground. Ernesto hit the ground, cratering it and bouncing a few times before popping his limbs back out.

“You might have all the right paperwork but this is a closed office.” Neil called. “So split!” Neil shot another eye beam at Ernesto.

“Don't mind if I do!” Ernesto jumped out of the way, coming apart to avoid the beam. He rolled a bit before meeting back up.

“You really roll with the punches huh.” Neil called, he swooped at Ernesto.

“I don't just roll with the punches.” Ernesto laughed. “I deliver them too!” Ernesto grabbed his hands together and took a blow at Neil, who crumbled and fell to the ground, passed out. “No signature required!” 

Ernesto laughed for a minute before grabbing Neil over his shoulder. He Looked around, and started running towards Boxmore, He knew he would have time to rope Neil later.

Ernesto heard a squealing behind him. He recognized it as Combo Breaker. He didn't care, what was a side kick going to do?

~~~~hi

Ernesto paced, he glanced at Neil, this time he tired him up with laser proof rope.

He still saw shades of pink and sparkles, but now he had a clearer picture of what Neil was. He sighed as he stared.

Neil started to shift. He looked up. “Ernesto! Again! Come on!”

“I have a plan this time!” Ernesto shouted back.

“Ooh, do monologue!” Neil called.

“Well, I have been studying you for-”

“Oh that's why you where in the bush.” Neil cut over. Ernesto flushed up.

“Y-you saw me!?” 

“I mean, it was pretty obvious.” Neil said bluntly. 

Mayday mayday plan back firing.

“Well, uh, after all the studying I realized that I couldn't achieve my plans with you still in play. Now that I have you captured you I can.” Ernesto clicked a button on the table next to him, a screen popped up and on it was a image of the Lakewood Community College. “I can- uh, blow up the school you hold so dear!”

“My tuition! Gone to waste!” Neil cried out. He pulled and tried to laser out of his rope. He was stuck. “Nice improvement on the rope.”

“Thank you- hey!” Ernesto coughed, trying not to flush up more. He pulled out a remote. He pressed a button. A large laser came out of the floor behind him and pointed out the hole opening in the roof. “This laser will destroy your college in three minutes!” 

“No!” Neil called, trying to shake free of the ropes.

A door in the background opened.

“How's it going.” Boxman stage whispered.

“Father!” Ernesto shrieked, going fully red.

“Is he in awe yet?”

“Father get out!” Ernesto yelled.

“Get him Ernesto!” Shannon yelled from behind Boxman.

“You can get anyone you want!” Raymond echoed.

“You're still gross though.” Darrell finished.

“Get out!” Ernesto screamed as he went into a full panic. Neil was laughing.

“You all should leave him alone.” The door slammed at the voice of Venomous.

Ernesto looked at Neil, who was still laughing. It made him grow brighter red. He was so cute and that smile.

Ernesto shook his head and tried to push those thoughts away.

“Your family is really rooting for you, huh?” Neil called.

Ernesto huffed. “Forget that happened. Your school will be ash in under two minutes!” Ernesto called, he started to awkwardly chuckle.

“Nothing will be turned to ash!”

“Because you filled out the wrong forms!”

“And shredded the right ones!”

The bodega kids landed behind Neil.

“Master!” Combo called, landing after them. “You said the purple robot wouldn't take you again!” Combo latched himself onto Neil.

“I'm sorry slugger! I didn't mean to get caught!” Neil called. Combo pulled out a saw and cut Neil free. Neil posed. “He has a laser that will destroy the local college-”

“Already disarmed.” KO called, as he Rad and Enid finished destroying the laser.

“No!” Ernesto cried out, he fell to his knees. “My plan!”

“Next time get your plans pre-approved-”

“Hey!” Neil called. “This is my Villain what are you doing!” 

“Jeez, come at us for helping you.” Enid snaked.

“Yeah, you weren't doing so hot before we came along!” Rad echoed.

“I was letting him monologue, it's only polite!” Neil called.

“Suuuuuuuuure you where.” Enid called.

“His script wasn't even that good.” Rad said, he pointed at the note cards suspended behind Neil.

“Hey! I worked very hard on those!” Ernesto called. He turned to the Bodega kids who started walking away.

“Where are you going!?” Neil called.

“Our job is over.” Enid called.

“And you don't want our help.”

“We're getting ice cream.” KO chirped.

“Master, master can we get ice cream too.” Combo said excitedly. He shook Neil a little.

“Alright, slugg-”

Combo shot off, picking up the bodega kids and flying off out of the roof with them. Neil looked at Ernesto, who was out of cards on what to do and turning bright red. He waited for his final blow to reboot. This went terribly.

“This was fun.” Neil said, he got into stance to fly off. “You want to get coffee sometime?”

Ernesto felt himself over loading. He pulled out an emergency flash card. He read it carefully.

“Sure.”

Neil flew off, smiling.

Ernesto looked up at the hole in the roof where Neil flew off. After a minute, when Neil was gone, Ernesto tossed his flash card.

He started jumping and cheering.

“I did it! I did it!”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading and have a good day/night!
> 
> Kudos, comments, and bookmarks appreciated!


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